Taking Time Off

For those of you that read my blog, I'm taking some time off from writing to focus on my client work and writing in other places.

Please visit my website for information about the many services I offer as a professional organizer and ADHD coach.  We look forward to your visit.: www.ahelinghandforyou.com

Pinterest-Crack for Organizers

O.K., I've just discovered crack for us professional organizers. It's called "Pinterest,"http://pinterest.com and I know I'm coming in a little late to the party, but thankfully I got invited to the Party. Thanks to Angela, thanks Angela!!! I also have to thank Standolyn, thanks Standolyn. But that invite didn't work out, cause I don't know what I did wrong that didn't work that first time I tried to invite myself through Standolyn's iPad. Well, actually Standolyn is who was the first person to share Pinterest with me, and I have her to really thank for this wonderful world of Pinterest.

O.K., since I'm a newbie on Pinterest, and still know nothing and have no time right now to get up to speed on this site, I'll have to wait till the weekend to really check it out and go to "Help" as many times as I need to get this new info into my every weary brain.

So, what is Pinterest? As Pinterest explains, "Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

Wow oh wow! If you can dream it, it's probably out there in Pinterest world somewhere. I have hardly tapped into Pinterest world, but can't wait to figure it out and then go searching for all the great organizing stuff I long to see. I know that I'll add some cool stuff too. O.K., just when I thought I had a grasp of my time, there it goes out the Pinterest window!!!

So, the challenge here will be for me to not fall into the Pinterest hole and only allow myself a certain amount of Pinterest time per "who knows what amount of time at this time." I'll commit to good Pinterest behavior after I figure out how to use this most excellent site. Happy Pinteresing!!!

Clients' brilliant dressing table - Made w/IKEA products

Client's Dressing Table 

This is how my client described how their dressing table made it onto ikeahackers.com. I must admit that I'd never heard of this site before. So, I hopped on over to it, and checked out my client's brilliant masterpiece, then started checking out other entries. I was enthralled by what I found. More ingenious people creating all kinds of useful items from different IKEA products. What they've come up with are some great ideas for me to share with my clients and you to share with your universe.

I'm always recommending IKEA, so it's nice to see more than just what the catalogs show you. You're looking at peoples' IKEA projects explained (so you to can create your own masterpiece). In the case of my clients, it was meticulously broken down into the how-to of each step of the project. I also like that at the end, my client added how she and her husband might have done certain things differently if they had to do it all over again. I like that bit of helpful advice. Here's her email to me and the link to their dressing table. Enjoy!

Over the vacation, RL and I built a customized "dressing table" to help make my morning routine smoother. On a whim, I submitted my project to ikeahackers.net and they picked up my project! I'm so excited! 

I openly talk about my ADHD and need for 'vertical storage', items having a specific home, and being able to see my things in the article. All advice that you gave me! I am so very glad to have you as a resource!! http://www.ikeahackers.net/2012/01/grundtal-beauty-bar-and-laptop-table.html#more

Food Safety - Still Tasty

Have you ever wondered if that jar of peanut butter in your pantry is still good. You've read the expiration information on the jar and see that it has expired by a few months. Well, here is a very helpful website that will tell you the shelf life information you need to stay safe. It's called "Still Tasty" http://www.stilltasty.com.

You can browse shelf life information by category, which makes searching for the info you need easy. I chose "meats & poultry" and came up with a huge alphabetical list starting with abruzzese sausage, dry - opened package. It gave me information on how long it could be kept in the refrigerator and in the freezer. It also suggested how to package the product for storage. Did you know that you can store homemade beef stew or soup in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 4-6 months. I'm a virtual food storing genius with this website's knowledge and tips.

You can safely say that I'm in love with this site. It will be a great help to many of my clients that have food issues, where they might fill up their pantry. Then one day they decide to clean out the pantry and uncover many food items that were lost in the back of a shelf or two. With this information, they can easily search and find out whether that boxed pasta that was found in the way back is still good enough to eat, or needs to go into a composting bin.

Happy eating!

Soles 4 Souls

I want to share information on this fabulous organization called "Soles 4 Souls." From their website, their mission is:

Soles4Souls collects new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering and collects used shoes to support micro-business efforts to eradicate poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, which provides the same relief and support through clothing and other necessities.

Their History: Soles4Souls has a simple concept: we procure shoes and get them to those in need.

In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that hit Southeast Asia, Wayne Elsey, the Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls® Inc., felt compelled to do something. Like many of us, he did not know what to do. He was at home one night, watching TV and he saw a picture of a single shoe washing up on the beach. That triggered a few calls to some other executives in the footwear industry and the subsequent donation of a quarter of a million shoes to victims in the devastated countries.

A year later when Katrina hit, Wayne called the same group of friends, and they sent over a million pairs of shoes down to the gulf coast communities affected by the hurricane. In all honesty, he admits that he did not expect such an immediate and successful turnout. This left him wondering, why not start a non-profit and do this all the time? One year later, Soles4Souls was formally created.

It has been that simple: changing the world one pair at a time.

Soles4Souls receives large donations from footwear companies, retailers, churches, nonprofit ministries, civic groups, schools, and individuals and saw that this could become a full time organization. That's why Soles4Souls was created – to facilitate the donations from these groups to the people who desperately need footwear.

So, as your cleaning out your closet or your family's closet, think about who could benefit from your discarded footwear. You can also start your own shoe drive. Find out how on the Soles4Souls website: http://www.soles4souls.org

Best Buy Recycles

I'm a devoted Best Buy shopper and love hearing that they have included other customer services. Here's some good news to all of us that have anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, cell phones, audio and video cables, computer monitors and more. No matter where you bought it, what brand, or how old it is, bring it to Best Buy for recycling. They will make sure it's properly and safely recycled. It's all part of their Greener Together™ program.

Most things are recycled absolutely free, with a few restrictions. Each state has their own restrictions, so look-up your states info before you visit a store. In Texas, you can bring three items per household per day to recycle. If you are recycling a computer, the hard drive must be removed before you recycle it. Best Buy charges a fee of $9.99 for the Geek Squad to remove your hard drive. Best Buy charges $10 to recycle televisions and monitors, but you receive a $10 Best Buy gift card good toward a future purchase. Check out their website for additional info: http://www.bestbuy.com

H1N1 Update from the CDC

Prevention & Treatment

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against 2009 H1N1 virus. However, a 2009 H1N1 vaccine is currently in production and may be ready for the public in the fall. As always, a vaccine will be available to protect againstseasonal influenza
There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners*are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.) Keep away from others as much as possible to keep from making others sick.

Other important actions that you can take are:

• Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
• Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines,alcohol-based hand rubs,* tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
Keep away from others as much as possible. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

HAPPY NEWS

With all the bad news being reported right now, to protect and support my spirit and positive nature, I have taken to watching, reading and listening to less news. I am an informed person that wants to stay current with the news of today, but I do not choose to be in a continual state of upset.

Well, I have found a site today called HAPPY NEWS, www.happynews.com that only reports, you guessed it HAPPY NEWS! This site is an alternative to all of the doom and gloom reporting going on today.

On this website, today's top story is about Michael J. Fox's May T.V. special that explores the nature of optimism. You'll also find all different news categories to choose from, happy columns to read from happy columnist and don't forget the happy stories. Their creedo is inspiring and the last enjoyable tidbit is the happy quote.

Just writing about all this happiness has made me really happy! I hope it makes you happy too.